Shard

Humorous. The point in the last minute, about power bases, is something very few people contemplate.

Alan2005

I hate religion as well. Can I have my bravery medal now?

Shard

You'll get it in heaven.

BristolUK

I assumed that meant the mail but I see it's the Indie. Who doesn't like it?

I'm staying loyal to the guardian for the moment but their dumbing-down is troubling me. And if the cancer that is the beta format spreads to the whole paper and kills it, I might need to look elsewhere.

MikeUK

I think I could be nice to a religion that;

Wasn't a dogma (belief without rational debate)

That could admit it 'might' be wrong and that the other guy could be right

That accepted evolution was right

and that praying to an Omniscience being was pointless

Atlantic Xpat

It's called "science".

Oakvillian

Well, yes, except that only in the world of closed-minded atheists and closed-minded religionists are science and religion mutually incompatible. There's a whole middle ground where the two can coexist quite happily, without fundamentalist bigotry in either camp.

ExKiwilass

another vote for science here!

Shard

Oh yes, in the Indy too. Good spit. My Twitter feed directed me to "the other paper". Now I can post the link.

Far too many Western Muslims speak of freedom as a sin - Comment - Voices - The Independent

Shard

True, but there is an argument that we generally benefit from spirituality of some sort. Hard atheists are often entranced by science. Not everyone seems able to do that.

Shard

Can in theory, agreed. Now tell us about the practice. Suggest a period in time where great injustices were not being committed under the cloak of religion.

Oink

Christmas Eve piss up down the pub?

Shard

Clever dick

(No rudeness intended!)

JamesM

<sticks head in>

<Yawns>

<Moves along>

Oakvillian

Russia in 1917-18? China under the Cultural Revolution? North Korea today?

Plenty of gross injustices carried out without religion being involved. Of course, plenty have been carried out in the name of some god or other, but it's a failing of the human condition, rather than of religious belief, that leads people to damage each other. Religion absolutely has no monopoly on that - philosophy politics and territorial ambition are at least equally to blame